>Hi,
>
>Anyone have any experience with renting/buying a Westy-type vehicle in
>New Zealand?  My fiance' and I are planning an extended trip to NZ.  Our
>budget is about 2 small steps above a backpacker's budget, so we'd like
>to purchase a vehicle we can live in, then sell it when we leave.  I've
>heard that cars are obscenely expensive down there.  Any tips or good
>advice would be greatly appreciated?
>
        Do an altavista search (altvista.digital.com) with the following
        key: "New Zealand"+RV

        You'll find plenty of information...

        For an idea of what's available in prepackaged trips and arrangements
        take a look at http://www.around-the-world.com/NZ/RVSpcial.htm

        "New Zealand RV Vacation - 10 Days from $1099

         Explore New Zealand independently - your vacation includes a
        round-trip flight and the rental of a 2-person RV with unlimited
        mileage. Not only do you get wheels but also enjoy the freedom of
        staying overnight virtually wherever you wish - wake up one morning in
        a National Park and the next on the banks of a gurgling river with
        snow capped peaks in the background! The package may be easily
        extended or modified to include a larger RV.

        Round-trip air from Los Angeles or
        San Francisco (surcharge for departures
        from other cities)

        8-Day rental of a 2-Berth van with
        unlimited miles

        At least 13,500 Frequent Flyer miles

        New Zealand tax of 12.5%

        ..."

        This would seem to indicate that "camping vans" are available in NZ.

      OLTECO                    Ari Ollikainen
      P.O. BOX 3688             Networking Technology and Architecture
      Stanford, CA              Ari@OLTECO.com
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